Power loader



Oct. 18, 1938. J. L. cLARKsoN POWER LOADER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 mmmmmnunmwmmmm Original Filed July 23, 1950 Oct. 18, 1938. J L. CLARKSQN I Re. 20,883

POWER LOADER Original Filed July 25, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ja A. Czar/r50,

Oct. 18, 1938. J, CLARKSON Re. 20,883

POWER LOADER Original Filed July 25, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Reissued Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POWER. LOADER John L. Clarkson, Nashville, 11].

11 Claims.

This inventionv pertains to power loading machines and more particularly to that type of machine used in mines for loading coal and the like into mine cars.

The type of machine here involved is equipped with an elevating conveyor at its front end which elevates the material to be loaded and, after carrying it over the top of the machine, delivers it to a loading conveyor which in turn delivers it to the mine cars. A gathering device is provided at the front end of the elevating conveyor operating to gather the material from the mine floor or from a pile of material and move it onto the elevating conveyor. Such a gathering device should be able to handle all kinds of material from comparatively small granular or eggsize material to large lumps. Such a device should preferably be capable also of digging socalled tight coal, i. e., coal which has just been shot down" and is more or less cracked or shattered but still standing.

In the regular operation of a machine of this character the demands of production usually require that it be operated at its maximum loading capacity. The usual practice is, therefore, to drive the gathering head into the pile of material until a major portion of the head is submerged in the pile. The gathering devices thus are required to work under the pile of material and drag the same out and onto the conveyor, and must then extricate themselves from the material and return to a new attack.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a loading machine of this type which will be capable of loading an increased quantity of material in a given time.

Another object is to provide a machine which will load coal which has been shot-down directly onto mine cars and which will be capable of continuing such loading without interruption.

Another object is to provide improved gathering mechanism for a loader of this type which will move the materialfrom the gathering point and deliver it to a suitable conveyor in a positive manner and in such a way that the gathering mechanism does not interfere with the delivered material.

Another object is to provide a loader of this type with a flat belt conveyor together with means for effectively driving such conveyor.

Another object is to provide a loader in which the gathering mechanism can be swung from side to side and the machine as a whole moved toward or away from the material to be loaded and to provide control devices by means of which all these operations may be accomplished in a simple and expeditious manner.

Further objects will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the rear half of a loader embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is aside elevation of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the forward half of the loader shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of Fig. 3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of the belt drive;

Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal section of an elevating jack constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure '7 is a section on line 'l-l of Fig. 6; and

Figure 8 is a continuation of the lower end of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, I designates a truck frame on which the entire machine is carried. In the machine illustrated this frame is equipped with track wheels 2 adapted for traveling on rails 3. The frame I may also be mounted for traveling on a caterpillar traveling device in order that it may operate in places where. no tracks have been laid. Extending forwardly from the truck I is an elevating conveyor designated generally by the numeral 4. This conveyor is equipped at its forward end with a gathe-ring head 5 which has mounted thereon gathering mechanism designated generally by the numeral 6. The conveyor 4 is adapted to carry the material rearwardly and deliver it to the depressed forward portion of a conveyor designated generally by the numeral 1 which is mounted on the frame I and which is arranged to extend rearwardly thereof in order to deliver its material to mine cars or other receivers which may be brought up to the rear of the machine. Suitable means for driving the various mechanisms are provided as will be explained more in detail hereinafter.

Projecting forwardly from the front end of the frame I is a supporting bracket l2 which carries a pivot shaft 9. The shaft 9 is itself pivoted to the bracket l2 by means of a fitting 80 which has a bore adapted to receive the shaft 9 and which has a forward extension perforated to receive a pivot pin l l which passes downwardly thru a cross web 8| forming a part of the bracket I2... By means of this connection the shaft 9 is pivoted for horizontal movement on the bracket l2.

A bracket 8 has a pair of rearwardly extending arms secured to the ends of the shaft 9. The bracket 8 extends forwardly from the pivot H and rests upon an upstanding ridge or flange 82 which extends around the curved forward edge of the bracket I2. is circular having its center at the pivot l l. Accordingly, the bracket 8 is pivoted for horizontal movement on the pivot l l during which movement the bracket 8 slides on the rim of the bracket I2.

Nested within the arms of the bracket 8 is a The curve of this edge of the bracket 8 are elevating jacks I3.

similarly formed inner bracket I8 having rearwardly extending arms which are hinged at 83 on the shaft 9. The forward end of the bracket I8 carries the conveyor 4 which is rigidly attached thereto in any suitable manner.

Pivotally supported at 84 at the forward end There is one of these jacks mounted on each side of the machine as shown in Fig. 1. The elevating portion of each jack is pivoted at 85 to the bracket I8. Accordingly, by operating the jacks I3 the bracket I8 is elevated relatively to the brackets 8, pivoting on the shaft 9 so as to raise the front end of the conveyor and its gathering shoe 5.

The elevating jacks l3 are of special construction as illustrated in Fig. 6. The hollow casing I3 is provided with a base 86 adapted to receive the pivot 85. The casing I3 may be lined with a sleeve 81 of bronze of other suitable material adapted to provide an inner wearing surface.

Mounted to slide in the casing I3 is a plunger 88 v of somewhatsmaller diameter. than the bore of the sleeve 81 and having an enlarged head 89 adapted to fit snugly in the bore of the sleeve 81. The upper end of the plunger 88 is provided With a stud 98 on which are mounted a pair of packing washers 9| preferably of cupped shape. The lower of these washers rests against the head 89 and the upper one against a spacer 92 being held in place by a nut 93 on the stud 98. The cupped washers 9| provide a packing adapted to seal the upper part of the chamber within the casing to which oil or other liquid may be supplied thru a port 94 whereby the necessary hydraulic pressure for operating the jack may be provided.

The lower end of the casing I3 has an enlarged portion 95 adapted to receive a stop ring 98 whose inner bore is fitted to the plunger 88. A suitable packing 91 bears against the ring 96 and is held in place by a nut 98 screwed into the portion 95 of the casing and adapted to put the packing 91 under pressure so as to form an effective seal around the plunger.

It will be noted that the ring 96 together with the packing 91 and the nut 98 are put in place after the plunger has been inserted in the casing. The ring 96 is fitted to the shank of the plunger so that its bore is smaller than the head 89. Accordin ly, this ring forms a stop adapted to prevent the plunger being drawn entirely out of the casing. As the ring 98 rests upon the packing 9! which usually is somewhat yielding, the ring 98 so supported provides a yielding stop for the plunger adapted to absorlrshocks and to prevent breaking the jack in case of vigorous operation thereof.

It will be noted that the construction above described provides connections whereby the forward conveyor 4 may be raised and lowered on the frame I pivoting on the shaft 9. Laterally swinging movement on the pivot II is also provided during which movement the bracket 8 slides laterally upon the bracket I2. Means for accomplishing this lateral movement will be described hereinafter. The jacks I3 may be operated by supplying o-il thereto under pressure in any suitable manner well known in the art. A suitable oil pump for this purpose is carried on .the machine.

The conveyor 4 comprises a traveling belt I4.

have not been successful heretofore when applied to a conveyor of this type whereby heavy material, such as coal or the like must be carried up an inclined path. which is fairly steep. The failure of these belts in the past has been due to the diificulty of driving the belt positively when carrying such a heavy load.

In accordance with the present invention a plurality of driving pulleys is employed for driving the belt I4. As shown in Fig. 4, a pulley I5 has fixed to its shaft a gear I8 engaging a corresponding gear II on the shaft of another pulley I8. The shaft of the pulley I8 also carries a sprocket I9 connected by a chain 28 with a sprocket 2| on a shaft 22 connected by gearing 23 to be driven by a motor 24. The pulleys I5 and I8 are closely adjacent one to another, are of the same diameter and are geared together so as to be positively driven at the same peripheral speed. The belt I4 passes by a series of reverse bends over both these pulleys in succession. The arrangement is also such that the arc of contact of the belt at each of these pulleys is greater than 180". This arrangement forms a positive drive for the belt I4 which renders it possible to carry a greatly increased weight of material on the elevating flight of the belt without danger of the belt slipping on the driving pulleys. By increasing 'the number of driving pulleys, a sufiiciently positive driving engagement can be obtained to pull practically any load Within the tension capacity of the belt.

Mounted at the forward end of the conveyor 4 is the gathering head 5. This may have the form of a fiat plate having its forward end depressed so as to form a shovel which may be inserted under a. pile of material by driving the same against the pile and providing upper parts or wings formed by bifurcating the plate as show in Fig. 3. I

In accordance with this invention the head 5 is mounted to have an upward inclination relatively to the slope of the conveyor belt I4, but the head is arranged in fixed upwardly spaced relation to the conveyor in the sense that the relation between the two is established so as to maintain the head spaced with respect to the conveyor, particularly at the upper parts or wings.

Mounted on the head. 5 and so as to move upwardly at the same angle as said head is the gathering mechanism 6. This mechanism comprises a pair of gathering chains 25, each passing over a driving sprocket 25 on one of the wings, and a lower guide .1". The driving sprocket 26 is mounted on a short inclined shaft 28 connected by bevelled gearing 29 to a transverse shaft 38 driven by a chain 3| from the shaft of the conveyor driving pulley I8.

The gathering chains 25 move in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3 and the chains are armed with gathering devices in the form of hooks, cutters or picks 32. These devices, therefore, move in a path determined by the position of the head 5 with reference to the conveyor 4, so that the conveyor moves in a path spaced from that of the gathering means and in the particular embodiment shown the path of the devices lies in a plane inclined upwardly to the plane of the conveyor. The gathering head and the gathering mechanism thereon also overlaps the conveyor particularly in the region of the wings, and a way extends between the gathering chains which define such way.

In operation when the shovel is inserted under a pile of material the series of hooks, cutters or picks 32 with which the chains 25 are armed and which extend beyond the shovel, assists in working the material away from before the enteringedges of the shovel so that the head may be worked under the pile of material. The picks or cutters 32 also move upwardly along the inclined path formed by the slope of the head so as to gather the material between the two chains'and move the same upwardly on the head along the way between the chains.

At a suitable point over the lower end of the conveyor belt [4 the shovel is provided with a delivery edge 33 over which the material drops onto the belt l4.

It will be noted that on account of the increased slope of the path of the gathering chains relatively to that of the belt conveyor I4, the cutters or picks 32 move away from said belt as they move upwardly, being spaced a substantial distance thereabove at the upper end of their travel where they begin to turn outwardly about the shaft 28. By this movement the cutters or picks are carried clear of the material which has been delivered to the belt. Accordingly, there is no tendency for the picks to sweep part of the material oif the upper part of the head during their outward movement about the shaft 28. In other words the cutters are moved clear of the delivered material in a vertical direction as the material is carried away on the belt I4. While the spacing of the gathering head relative to the conveyor should be sufiicient to cause the picks to clear the material lumps, it is onlynecessary that the spacing be sufficient for the picks to clear such lumps as are liable to be swept off.

It will also be noted that the gathering chains are more widely separated at their upper ends than at their lower ends. This provides room between the chains for the material to accumulate in a compact form so as to spread the same over the width of the belt l4 and the capacity of the machine is increased accordingly. This is also of advantage in such cases as often occur where the shovel and in fact the entire head works its way a considerable distance under the pile of material to be loaded whereupon the pile caves in upon the machine. In such a case the caving material will fall upon the head 5 and the belt l4. The belt will immediately carry such material away while that part that falls between the gathering chains will be moved up and delivered to the belt. The

flaring form at this portion of the mechanismprevents any possibility of the jamming of the fallen material which might make it necessary to suspend operation until such material can be worked loose by hand.

The frame of the conveyor I is hinged at 34 for up and down movement and is pivoted at 35.

for horizontal swinging movement so that the conveyor may be adjusted to deliver its material at any desired point. Since the head has an established upwardly spaced relation to the conveyor, the two move together without changing that relation and without changing the spaced relation of the. gathering mechanism to the coal moving part of the conveyor. A bracket 36 on the rear portion of the frame 1 carries a hydraulic jack 31 for raising and lowering the rear end of the conveyor. This jack is equipped with one or more rollers 38 running on a track 39 on the frame I so as toprovide for lateral movement of the conveyor.

} jacks 40 mounted horizontally on the frame I engage cables 4|, each of which is connected to a bracket 42 on the side of the conveyor frame 1.

A pair of oppositely moving The operation of the jacks 4!! acts to swing the conveyor laterally on its pivot 35.

The conveyor 1 comprises a flat belt 43 passing over pulleys 44 and 45 at opposite ends of the conveyor frame. This belt is driven by a pair of driving pulleys 46 and 41 geared together and driven by a motor 48. The belt 43 and the means for driving the same are similar in all respects to the belt I4 and its driving means as already described. The forward end of the conveyor 1 may be provided with a hopper rim 49 and is positioned beneath the rear end of the conveyor 4 so that the material is delivered by the conveyor 4 to the conveyor 1 and is carried by the latter conveyor rearwardly tobe deposited in mine cars or other suitable receivers for disposing of the material in the desired manner.

The main drive of this machine is derived from a motor 50 mounted on the frame I and connected by suitable gearing 5| to a shaft 52. The latter shaft is connected by a chain 53 to drive a countershaft 54 extending transversely-of the frame I and journaled in bearings 55 therein. The power for manipulating the machine is derived from the shaft 54. The chain 53 engages a sprocket 56 which is keyed to the shaft 54 sothat said shaft is driven continuously.

A series of planetary-gear clutches is arranged to connect the shaft 54 for driving the wheels 2 in order to move the machine bodily and for operating means for swinging the front conveyor 4 laterally. These clutches are designated generally by the numerals 51, 58, 59 and 60. As these clutches are all alike only the clutch 51 will be described in detail.

This clutch comprises a central gear 6| keyed to the shaft 54. A spider 62 loosely mounted on the shaft 54 carries a plurality of intermediate gears 63. only one of which appears in the drawings. These intermediate gears engage the gear 6i and also an external gear 64 secured to a spider 65 keyed to a sleeve loose on the shaft 54 and carrying sprockets 66 connected to sprockets 61 on the axles 68 of the wheels 2. The spider 62 is provided with an outer drum 69 to which a brake band 1| may be applied. By tightening said brake band the spider 62 is held stationary so that the gear BI is caused to drive the gear 64 thru the intermediate gears 63. This drives the sleeve 10 which in turn drives the wheels 2. The clutch 51 is so connected to the sleeve 16 as to drive the wheels in one direction while the'clutch 58 is also connected to the sleeve 10 but in such a way as to drive the wheels 2 in the-reverse direction when its brake band is tightened. Thus by manipulating the brake band 1| on one or the other of the clutches 51 and 58, the machine as a whole may be driven forward or back along the tracks 3.

In a similar manner the clutch 60 is connected to drive a winding drum 12 while the clutch 59 is connected to drive a similar drum 13. Arranged to be wound upon the drums 12 and 13 arecables or chains 14. These pass up over horizontal pulleys and between vertical guide pulleys 16 and are connected at 11 (Fig. 4) to the shoe 5. There is one of these chains at each side of the machine. Accordingly, by operating one or the other of the clutches 59 or 60 either of these chains may be tensioned so as to pull the forward conveyor toward that side of the machine. It is also possible by pulling on both of these chains at the same time to elevate the front conveyor.

It will be noted that practically all the movements necessary for manipulation of this machine are the forward and rearward movement of the entire loader and the lateral swinging movement of the front conveyor. Power for all these movements is derived from the same shaft 54 and means for manipulating the connections are all the same type, namely, planetary-gear clutches. Accordingly, simple manipulating means may be provided so that these movements may be accomplished easily by an unskilled operator.

The connections for effecting such manipulation are shown in Fig. 2. A shaft |0I mounted in the frame I may be provided with cranks connected by adjustable links I02 to operate the clutches 51 and 58. Only one of these operating connections is shown in Fig. 1 since the other drum is shown in section. By rocking the shaft lEll in one direction, one of these clutches will be operated While rocking said shaft in reverse direction. will operate the other clutch. The shaft I01 has fixed thereto an arm 103 connected by a link I04 to an arm I05 on a rockshaft I06 which has fixed thereto a pair of oppositely extending arms I07 which carry pedals I08 at the operators station. The numeral 109 indicates one of a pair of concentric shafts journaled in the frame I and having operating connections H0 and III of any suitable type adapted to operate the clutches 59 and 60, respectively. These shafts carry levers H2 and H3 connected to operating handles H4 and H5 at the opera tors station. By operatingthe handles H4 and H5 and the pedals I08 in a proper manner the operator may cause the machine to perform in any desired manner.

As a convenience in transporting machine, a transverse shaft 18 is mounted just below the shovel 5' and a pair of traveling wheels 19 is arranged to be detachably mountable on the shaft 18 to support the forward end of the conveyor 4 on the rails 3 while traveling. The

wheels are of such size that the shoe 5 is elevated a sufficient distance from the ground when supported thereby.

It will thus be seen that this invention accomplishes its objects. Since the picks extend beyond the shovel part of the head, they are able to attack the coal and move it in a path or way between the chains onto the conveyor at the front of the machine and even insure its delivery on to the conveyor. These picks move along the conveyor in a path along the head, and along the way defined by the gathering means, and this way is an unobstructed one to permit unobstructed movement of the material along the way. The picks thereafter move laterally out of the way and away from the conveyor to their return paths. The conveyor moves in a path which is spaced vertically from that of the picks or gath ering means a maximum distance in the zone Where the gathering means moves out of the way and away from the conveyor which, in this particular embodiment, is accomplished by the upward inclination of the head and the gathering means thereon with respect to the conveyor. The arrangement of these picks, moving as they do in paths, whose spacing vertically above the conveyor at the points where these picks turn is sufficient to free the material lumps, enables the speed of the machine to be increased without sweeping the coal off of the upper parts of the head. This is important, because of the fact that where these picks turn at the upper parts of the head, their tips move at a speed which is several times their speed during their upward travel in a straight line before they reach their turning points. The rising of the picks is not accomplished by a quick upward flip, but the movement is a gradual one in a plane inclined or spaced upwardly with respect to the conveyor; accordingly, there is no tendency to throw the coal upwardly as would be the case if these picks were moved by an upward flip. Since the head has an established relation to the conveyor, the two parts can be moved together vertically to rise above the bottom ledges encountered in mining. It will be self-evident that if the head did not have an established relation to the conveyor, but were pivoted to swing" vertically thereto, then when such a head would be swung vertically to clear such ledges, the spaced relation between the head and the gathering mechanism thereon relative the conveyor would be disturbed, particularly at the upper parts of the head where the picks turn, so that the advantages of this invention would not then thereby be attained. It will also be noted that the way between the chains from the front to even where the picks turn, is left free and unobstructed for the coal to not only be delivered to the conveyor, but so as to insure its delivery, and finally to permit the coal to pass from the conveyor at the front of the machine to the delivering conveyor.

It will be understood that various changes may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention; itis, therefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the specific construction shown and described.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and having an unobstructed way therealong, and gathering means moving in a path along said head and operable to progress the material along said way in the path of said gathering means and on to said conveyor, said gathering means thereafter moving laterally out of said way, said conveyor moving in a path spaced vertically from that of said gathering means a maximum distance in the zone where said gathering means moves out of said way and sufliciently to free the material lumps against being swept off the conveyor and the head.

2. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and having an unobstructed way therealong, and gathering means moving in a path along said head and operable to progress the material along said way in the path of said gathering means and on to said conveyor, said gathering means then turning laterally out of said way to a return path, said conveyor moving in a path deviating vertically from that of said gathering means a maximum distance in the zone where said gathering means moves out of said way and sufficiently to cause said gathering means to clear the material lumps at the turning point against being swept off the conveyor and the head.

3. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and having an unobstructed way therealong, and gathering means having picks movable along said way in a path extending along said conveyor to progress the material along said way and on to said conveyor, the picks then moving laterally out of said way to a return path, the path of said picks at their outward movement being spaced above said conveyor a maximum distance and sufliciently to clear the material lumps against being swept off the conveyor and the head.

4. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and having an unobstructed way therealong, and a gathering chain having picks movable in a path leading inwardly of said head beyond the end thereof, then upwardly along said way and extending along said conveyor to progress the material thereonto, said picks then moving laterally out of said way to a return path, the path of said picks at their outward movement being spaced above said conveyor a maximum distance and sufiiciently to cause said picks to clear the material lumps against being swept off the conveyor and the head.

5. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and having an unobstructed way therealong, and a pair of gathering chains having picks movable in paths leading inwardly toward each other beyond the end of said head, then upwardly along said way and extending along said conveyor to progress the material thereonto, said picks then moving laterally out of said way away from each other to return paths, the paths of said picks at their outward movements being spaced above said conveyor a maximum distance and sufiiciently to cause said picks to clear the material lumps against being swept off the conveyor and the head.

6. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, a machine frame, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine frame and extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and arranged in fixed upwardly spaced relation thereto, whereby said head and conveyor are movable as a unit on the frame, said head having an unobstructed way therealong, and gathering means mounted on and moving in a path along said head and operable to progress the material along said way in the path of said gathering means and on to said conveyor, said gathering means thereafter moving laterally out of said way, said conveyor moving in a path spaced vertically from that of said gathering means a maximum distance in the zone where said gathering means moves out of said way and sufliciently to free the material lumps against being swept oil? the conveyor and the head.

'7. A loading machine of the character de-' scribed, comprising, a machine frame, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine frame and extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and arranged in fixed upwardly spaced relation thereto, said head having an unobstructed way therealong, whereby said head and conveyor are movable as a unit on the frame, and a pair of gatheringchains mounted for movement on said head and having picks movable in paths leading inwardly toward each other beyond the end of said head, then upwardly along said wayand extending along said conveyor to progress the material thereonto, said picks then moving laterally out of said Way away from each other to return paths, the paths of said picks at their outward movements being spaced above said conveyor a maximum distance and sufficiently to cause said picks to clear the material lumps against being swept oif the conveyor and the head.

8. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and arranged in upwardly inclined relation thereto, and means on said head for gathering the material thereon and for moving the same therealong and onto said conveyor, said gathering means thereafter moving laterally away from said conveyor, said head being spaced above said conveyor a maximum distance in the zone where the gathering means moves laterally away from the conveyor and sufficiently to permit the material lumps to drop out of the pathof said gathering means.

9. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor, arranged in upwardly inclined relation thereto and having a shoe at its front end, and means on said head for gathering the material thereon and for moving the same therealong and onto said conveyor, said gathering means there- 'after moving laterally away from said conveyor, said head being spaced above said conveyor a maximum distance in the zone where the gathering means moves laterally away from the conveyor and sufficiently to permit the material lumps to drop out of the path of said gathering means.

10. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, -an elevating conveyor extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and arranged in upwardly inclined relation thereto, and having a way therealong, and gathering elements movable along said way in rearwardly diverging paths to progress the material therealong and onto said conveyor, said gathering elements thereafter moving laterally away from said conveyor to return paths, said gathering elements being spaced above said conveyor a maximum distance in the zones where they move to return paths and sufficiently to permit the material lumps to drop out of the path of said gathering elements.

11. A loading machine of the character de-.

scribed, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and arranged in upwardly inclined relation thereto, and having a way therealong, and

gathering chains having picks movable along said way to progress the material therealong and onto said conveyor, said picks thereafter moving laterally away from said conveyor to return paths, said picks being spaced above said conveyor a maximum distance in the zones where they move to return paths and suificiently to permit the material lumps to drop. out of the path of said picks.

JOHN L. CLARKSON. 

